Varnish

We had a few hours of sunshine after days of solid rain so I leapt into action with my pot of varnish on the skylight frames. The amount of drips that the skylights have been letting through has steadily increased (especially after dry whether shrinks the wood and lets the rain through), so it was about time I had a go at fixing it. We'd already tried using sealant around where the glass meets the wood but that obviously wasn't the problem. So one whole tin of varnish later, and just enough time for it to dry and they had their first test. The rain poured, and mostly stayed on the outside of the boat. Hurray! I'll give them another coat when we next have a dry spell, and then *hopefully* that'll sort them out until we can afford double glazing panels. It's so nice not to run around with pot-plants to place under the drips at the first sign of a shower.

Last night we spent hours moving around bits of the kitchen. Now that we don't have the stand alone fridge because it blew up (see Boat Blog) we decided that it was time to make use of the kitchen cupboards that we rescued from someone replacing their kitchen. This is one of those jobs that you get half way through and lose all momentum as the project takes over the entire room. By midnight it had all come together, and makes the room look a lot neater. Yay. (for pictures, visit the boat blog in a couple of days, when Steve's had time to post about it).

And finally... Here is my first ever self-grown carrot. I was so amazed by this little thing that I kept pulling it out of the soil to look at it which killed it so I just had to eat it whilst it was still little.

sketch

Mutiny on the Mountie- London Rollergirls 'v' Team Canada.

Tickets are going like hot cakes. If you know me personally, I have 5 left so reserve yours quick. Or you can grab your tickets direct from the LRG website.
Eeek, I've been training hard for this one!

engineroomery

I spent most of the evening in the engine room helping out our friend Phil to bleed the air out of our fuel lines. It was brilliant!!! I don't know much about how engines work, but I LOVE the physical aspect of working on them. And the gradual, logical, problem solving. And the different sound the engine makes each time you start it so you know an extra cylinder is now air-free. And then the rumble as the engine takes. Yay.

More Dunny's

I've completed painting up some more London Rollergirl Dunny's.

Correctional Felicity:


Hula Gunn:



N-emma-si5:



Poison Arrow:

Apple-clock, Bear-chair, and Strawbs.

I've been without a watch for AGES. I have a habit of breaking watches. So when I saw this little Apple clock that can clip onto my necklace I took out my somewhat dusty wallet and bought it.


And on Monday I made a cushion from some gorgeous pink sakura material that's been languishing in the fabric drawer for months. I ALSO covered the bear chair cushion with bright pink furry material. So now that raggedy old chair that I love so much looks extra special and cared for.


And there are strawberries growing in the paint pots suspended by the staircase!

3948572984

Do you ever get sick of words? I've got all these thoughts and ideas but can't bring myself to bind them by the constraints of language. Instead they just keep swooshing round my head. Maybe a picture is in order. Or maybe some tidying up. Or maybe just leave them be.

Sitting.

I've been running head-first into my days recently. Living without thinking, reacting rather than proacting. This morning I'm going to try and ease into the day by contemplating what I want to achieve. Purposeful steps instead of stumbling around.
Now, where did I put those cupcakes?

All the fridge puns are used up.

We now have our new 2m high fridge freezer on board. It's so ace! I still really wanted a red Smeg fridge but that would have been nearly a grand extra so sense ruled the day. We do have plans for this one though. It's gunna look awesome.

Hey bro'

Me and my bro.
He is awesome.

visitors visitors visitors.

Ok, so my mum has headed up North to spend time with her brothers and sisters now. We had such an awesome time.

We drank chocolate shots with marshmallows.
We walked for 10 miles along the Thames.
We went out in the pedalo and found a Grebe nest and a Coot nest (don't worry, we didn't disturb them).
We sat in the sun.
We ate yummy food.
We watched vortex fall through the space where the skylight was, and then land on our bed.
We went to rollerderby practice together. She was an excellent spectator.
We went to Covent Garden.
I showed her how to retouch photos.
I showed her how to take photos with an SLR.
She nearly got killed by our fridge. (see here)

And now my brother and his wife are over. (known collectively as Philina).
They are recovering from much fun on their Europe and Dubai trip, before setting off for the final leg in Croatia, and then heading back home to New Zealand.

And then next week I'm on jury duty. I'll be taking my sketchbook for all those long hours of deliberation and doodle-ation.

out for a paddle

It's amazing being out in the little pedalo. Me 'n' mum went out in it and let it drift for a while. Suddenly, all the wildlife pops out from hiding places and busies itself.
We even saw huge fish squirming in the shallows.
And two male swans dancing for a female.

Yesterday, me 'n' mum went for a walk by the river. I think we did about 10 miles. It was beautiful!

Mother's Day

My mum arrives from New Zealand in a couple of hours. I'm SOOOOO excited.

A time of Growth.

The garden has sprung into life. This weekend I picked enough rocket, lettuce and radishes to do us for tea. Even the potatoes I planted a couple of weeks ago have sent up leaves. It's amazing to watch the fruits of your labour grow.





Perhaps the biggest surprise of all was when I lifted the lid on my mushroom growing kit that I had stored in the engine room. I had given up hope on it sprouting anything. Now I've decided that mushrooms are like pots, they don't grow when you're watching too closely.






This afternoon we took the Pedalo (that we have now called 'Monster') into the lake. It was so peaceful to gently float around, so close to the water, so close to the wildlife. I saw a cormorant drying his wings; a pair of kingfishers swooping and diving; a heron gliding and calling; a swan coming up to us to show his swimming skills; a grebe submerging; a coot clattering; geese honking. We got up close the the big disused Lighters and crane barges, and then we alighted onto a little island for a bit of foraging. ( I found a little movable step that'll live on the front deck and a plant pot). I got stung by nettles and tired arms from all the effort, but it made us feel like the luckiest people in the whole world.